They would ask me what actors I saw in the roles. I would tell them, and they’d say “Oh that’s interesting.” And that would be the end of it.
--Elmore Leonard, in 2000, on the extent of his input for Hollywood's adaptation of his novels

Sunday, February 28, 2010

David B. Coe's "The Dark-Eyes' War"

Here he shares some ideas for the principal cast and director of a cinematic adaptation of the newly released The Dark-Eyes' War:

I love this site's concept and I'm happy to be a part of the fun.

My newest novel, The Dark-Eyes' War, is the third and final volume in my Blood of the Southlands trilogy (the other two volumes were The Sorcerers' Plague and The Horsemen's Gambit). Blood of the Southlands is an epic fantasy about prejudice and revenge and the unintended consequences of both. The population of the Southlands is divided between two races: the Qirsi, white-haired, pale-complexioned sorcerers who are physically frail, but wield powerful magic, and the Eandi, who are more like the people of our own world.

There are five characters in The Dark-Eyes' War who I'd like to cast, but finding the right actors exclusively from today's crop of Hollywood talent strikes me as too difficult. So, I'm going to take the liberty of traveling back and forth between Hollywood generations.

Grinsa ja Arriet -- Grinsa is a Qirsi Weaver, the most powerful kind of sorcerer. Weavers can bind together the magics of many Qirsi and wield them as a single weapon. They also tend to be more hale and physically powerful than other Qirsi. I think I'd like to see him played by Sean Bean (Boromir, from LOTR). Bean would have to grow his hair out and dye it white/blond, but he'd be terrific in the role.

Cresenne ja Terba -- Grinsa's love. She began (in an earlier book in my previous series, Winds of the Forelands) by seducing him on behalf of a renegade Qirsi Weaver, and then trying to have him killed. But she became pregnant with his child and eventually they fell in love. Long story; much drama. But back to the point: I'd like to go back in time for this one and cast a young Eva Marie Saint (North By Northwest, On the Waterfront) in this role. She'd be perfect both physically and because of her gentle strength.

Enly Tolm -- an Eandi man, also a captain in the Qalsyn army. A rival of Tirnya's, and also a former lover. Let's just say they have a fiery relationship. I'd have Goran Visnjic (of ER fame) play Enly.

Besh -- My favorite character in the series. Besh is an old Eandi conjurer who leaves his home to try to keep the Southlands from descending into civil war. He's devoted to his family, but driven by a sense of duty. He's stubborn, opinionated, high tempered, but he's also compassionate and courageous. I would give this part to Ben Kingsley.

I have a little room left, and so I'd like to choose my director. I've always been a huge fan of Peter Weir, who manages to bring mystery and darkness, but also epic sweep to his movies. He'd be my first choice as director.

“Compared to a novel, a film is like an economy pizza where there are no olives, no ham, no anchovies, no mushrooms, and all you’ve got is the dough.”
--Louis de Bernières, author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin